


Of Kaiju, AI, and Man, or, Hacking The Drift

by Hack_Generation, Pirateweasel



Series: The Anchor Chains We Choose [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Family Feels, Gen, I Blame My Penpal, Kaiju Death, Original Character Death(s), Original Character Injury, Unconventional Families
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-18
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-13 17:57:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2159841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hack_Generation/pseuds/Hack_Generation, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pirateweasel/pseuds/Pirateweasel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer...? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that...</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ralia created a new family with John after she lost her family...or did she lose them all?</p><p>When John and Ralia are tasked with testing the newest type of jaeger AI, they meet something--or someone--unexpected.</p><p> </p><p>"...You were picked because both of you interact well with every AI you have had contact with…so why did you disconnect?”<br/>“Because…” said the gravel of John’s voice above Ralia’s ear where he held her, “…that AI is our—her—little brother…  Anyone want to explain that to us?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was started when I told my penpal/co-author that I had turned him into a character in a work...and killed him off.
> 
> "You killed me?! Why would you do that?" Well, I needed some names for characters, it was late at night, I may or may not have been under the influence of large amounts of caffine...whatever.
> 
> Well, I was emailed a response to 'Drifting' and this work has been the result.

Ralia headed into the drivesuit room; Rinzler close behind her.  They were scheduled to be running on the sims today; something about needing to test new AI’s before they were loaded into the jaegers in production.

Since Rinzler had proven more than once in the past that he could drift with any of the pilots and by extension their jaeger’s AIs, and Ralia had never had difficulty in linking with the AIs; they had been chosen by PPDC to test the handshake and drift with the new AIs.  The theory was that if anything went wrong, it could be more safely dealt with in a sim than in a jaeger.  After all, if someone were to ever lose control of a jaeger while it was still in one of the bays, with all of the support crew and techs around…well, it was better not to dwell on it and just run the tests in the sims.

In the drivesuit room, the techs helped Ralia and Rinzler into their suits; their moves a dance that each knew so well now that when Ralia took off her scarf…John’s hand was there to take it from her.  He wasn’t even looking as he did so, as he dryly told one of the newer techs to stop “trying to cram my arm into the suit, it’s not a sausage to pack into a casing…”  It didn’t bother her; after all…she wasn’t looking at him either, when she handed it off.

It was almost a relief to be told that the armor would be left off—it wasn’t needed for this test—in the sim.  At the same time was disconcerting.  They spent so much time wearing it that it seemed wrong somehow to not have it on.

A short time later, both of the pilots were in the sim room, techs swarming about like drunken bees, excited about testing a new AI.  Behind the techs’ backs, John shot a bemused glance at Ralia and nodded his head slightly in the direction of the techs; he rolled his eyes and gave her a small grin.  She grinned back before trying to put her sternest face on, eyes sparkling as she did so.

She slid the Pons headset on, feels the weight of it as she slipped into the drift with John and waited for the handshake to begin.  It seems to only take a heartbeat before John and Ralia were in headspace.  They reached to connect with each other, anticipating the arrival of the AI’s presence any moment.  They thought it might take a little longer than normal, with this being a new AI; however, neither of them expected it to take very long. 

They waited, imagining another cool, calm voice that would link with them to declare that the neural handshake is stable and that there was a stable drift connection….

It was different, this time.  The voice wasn’t the usual cool, calm voice of a woman; the kind you associated with the best businesswomen and lecturers.  This AI’s voice was nothing like the usual.

“Ralia!” the voice said, excited as a puppy that had just found its owner in a game of hide-and-seek.  “I found you!”  Then the voice said, slightly confused, “Ralia…which one _are_ you?”

Ralia didn’t answer; shocked hands scrabbling madly for the headset, as she tried to disconnect from it.  John’s voice was shouting in the background, as he yelled at sim techs and demanded that LOCCENT “…get down here, and I mean NOW…”

Finally, she could breathe, _they_ could breathe; arms wrapped in a tangle as they held each other, shaking.

LOCCENT arrived less than a minute later, Marshal Pentecost right behind them.

“What is the problem, pilot?” Pentecost demanded.  “The techs tell me that you were in headspace, handshake had been initiated and was apparently holding stable; yet as soon as the new AI enters the drift, you both pull out…and pretty damn quick, too.”

You were picked because both of you interact well with every AI you have had contact with…so why did you disconnect?”

“Because…” said the gravel of John’s voice above Ralia’s ear where he held her, “…that AI is our— _her_ —little brother…  Anyone want to explain _that_ to us?”


	2. Kids and AIs Are A Bad Cocktail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am exercising...just not following your orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This really is the part that started it all...

Hackett was bored. Ever since these so called 'scientists' woke him up, they'd been testing him on searches through tons of data that he had to...what was the word in his vocabulary base—something that meant to sort stuff? 

 

_Process (verb): a systematic series of actions that sorts different materials into specific categories._

 

Oh...right, very useful. But not for him, he needed to find his sister. However, every time he tried to search data for her, he had to delete the history and hide what he knew by encrypting himself in tons of code.

 

"Alright, Hack1.0; time for your algorithm exercise!" A rather annoyingly perky scientist came into view of the hologram monitor. Hack transferred himself to the holographic projection system to have a human appearance. 

 

"Doing that again I see; you remind me of Cortana from Halo!" This guy was annoying. The AI didn't bother to pull up his name in his learning sector. 

 

"What do you want now?” Hackett grumbled.  “I thought I was gonna be able to transfer to the base on Hong Kong!" Hack was having none of his shenanigans today. Wait, what did that mean?

 

_Shenanigans (Noun): mischief and prankishness; nonsense; nonsensical actions based upon whim or impulse_.

 

Wow, he needed to stop doing that. The AI huffed and crossed his arms, standing on the hologram plate to stay visible.

 


	3. Kids and AIs Are a VERY Bad Cocktail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having a sister all the way in Hong Kong? This will definitely be an interesting adventure!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the first chap, more will be coming soon guys

 

 

 

The annoying man was portly. Hack guessed that it was a beer gut; running through probability percentages and the way he drank, it had a 90% accuracy rate. He wasn't surprised.

"Now, none of that attitude; you're a jaeger AI and you're a first super human intelligence computer! Also named S.H.i.C, if you get my drift!" He spread his arms wide in a dramatic pose before going to check the clipboard on his desk.

 

"Have you been clocking hours while my team was gone? What have you been searching? I can't read this code…it's all encrypted, Hack!"

 

The human/AI smirked. "Like I would tell you… I'd have to dumb it down to your level." 

 

The man turned. "Did you just insult me? I thought we were friends!"

 

This is exactly what he wanted; the man was always distracted when he got mad. Hack reached out a small line of algorithms in his database to send a Morse code signal; straight to the AI that his sister had supposedly connected to when she was in the neural handshake once. It was a good thing he stored the name of that AI away in his compressed encryption folder. He still would've remembered the strange name.

 

The AI wasn't previously human like Hack, but he was the closest he could be to a S.H.i.C. like him— _The older AI had introduced himself as CLU._ _Hack raised a brow at him, standing in cyberspace. The human/AI was surprised that it still existed. They were in the deep web as they drifted in hidden and encrypted codes. Hack had panicked at first; being caught by jaeger AI was never pleasant. He'd tried to—as his namesake implied—to hack his way out of the firewall that trapped him in the system perimeters._

 

_"Ah shiz! Nope; not staying here!" The words were in vain; however, when the firewall locked in him. He'd been halfway out before being sucked back in._

 

 " _And where are you going? Who are you? Identify yourself!" A silky voice said to the nervous S.H.i.C._

 

 " _Um...I'm nobody? I was just looking around!" Hack tried to stall._

 

  _"Negative! You were trespassing into my database and military sector! Identify yourself or I will capture and contain you until your techs find you." An AI appeared before Hack. The AI had pale gold grid lines all over him that reminded Hack of CLU, the villain from the second ‘Tron’ movie. Father would've been excited to see this; he had loved the ‘Tron’ movies…_

 

  _Red lines of codes and commands began to surround the S.H.i.C. as he tried not to answer, when one of the lines compressed he cried out._

 

 " _Hey that hurt! You don't have to be mean!" Hack whined. He stopped when he got a good look at the AI's Tag Reading. Oh no, this wasn't good at all. The Tag Read (T.R.) was Jaeger Neural System Administrator. He shouldn't have invaded this one! He could just imagine Ralia scolding him and calling him an idiot for following his curious impulses. How was he gonna find his sister now?_

 

  _"Fine. Since you refuse to identify yourself..." More red code closed in. "You must be a virus," The Sys–admin said plainly._

 

  _That was it! Hack quickly made his T.R. visible. The red algorithms paused and released, dissipating into blue random letters, numbers, and other symbols. The Sys–admin was puzzled, he'd never seen this T.R. label before; maybe it was a new prototype?_

 

  _"What is your assigned name?" He stepped closer to examine this strange AI. Was it really an AI? Its actions were too human; childish and impulsive with no measure of control._

 

  _"I won't tell you mine if you don't tell me yours!" Hack said defiantly, he didn't like when grown-ups looked at him like a lab rat. He crossed his arms and sulked._

 

_The Sys–admin processed the probability of it being used against him. He pinched the bridge of his nose before huffing, "CLU; now identify your assigned name."_

 

  _"Hackett Jamison! And it's not an assigned name, it's my real name!" He said indignantly. Then his eyes went wide, "Your name is CLU? Seriously? Like the bad guy in TRON?"_

 

  _The AI gave him an annoyed look. "Blame my programmer for it, he has an affinity towards films. It is quite abnormal according to his coworkers."_

 

  _Hack sniggered, "Well it's still kinda weird…you're a weirdo, huh?" He covered his mouth and giggled._

 

  _The AI frowned "Define weirdo...it is not in my vocabulary sector."_

  
 

_Hack figured he was going to be trapped here for a while. Why not make a friend?_

 

 When the fat scientist began to lecture Hack on being respectful to his elders and following orders, the SHiC merely tuned him out; pretending to pay attention as he received a relayed Morse code signal from CLU. He had found his sister's coordinates and sent her location—which was...Hong Kong? That far out?!

Now all Hack had to do was mess with his transfer files and cover his trail, which was much too easy since the software was old. He would be sold as a tool to the marshal and be sent to the location on his transfer document.

 

Another scientist walked in and told the fat man— that Hack had now dubbed Piglet— to shut up and prepare a report for the marshal that was coming. Project Transcendence had been a success and they were both excited. Hackett recognized him—the nicer one—as Dr. Samuels, or Sam as he preferred to be called. Sam nodded to the S.H.i.C.; he was the only one who felt sympathy or any friendship towards the human/AI. He had been the one of the two head scientists most opposed to the project; but of course certain 'circumstances' had convinced him otherwise—

 

_The 13 year old struggled to breathe through fiery and black smoke, another kaiju had attacked, right where Father and Mum and been standing with their backs to the docks. Screams were heard as people began to run away. Hack had hidden behind his father—Malik—who picked him up and held him with one arm while grabbing his wife's hand and started running. They were headed towards the airport, where planes were taking off to escape the attacking monsters that came out of the ocean._

 

_Hack was frightened, clinging to Father, knuckles white as he gripped hard. The boy buried his face in the man's shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut to block out the horrible view of people being crushed, buildings being crumbled to pieces, and debris coming down with shrapnel of metal or glass flying from explosions._

_Malik found their car and put Hackett into the backseat as his wife Gladys rushed into the passenger seat. They had barely started to put their seatbelts on when a deafening roar sounded behind them; back tires of the small car screeching as Malik floored the gas pedal._

 

_The airport was a lost cause. A plane had gone down straight into the main building and hangers, causing them to burst into flame. The kaiju shrieked as it moved inland._

 

_Malik cursed in Arabic when the large crablike monster that had risen at the docks came in their direction. The car never stood a chance. A building fell in front of them and Gladys screamed as the car swerved to avoid it and flipped; shattered glass flew everywhere in a rain of sparkling material._

 

_All was silent, until Malik jolted awake and struggled out the driver’s window. He automatically went for Hack first._

 

_"What about Mum!? Father we have to get her!" Hack sniffed, scared and unwilling to leave her as gas began to leak and drip onto the dusty street. Gladys’ eyes were closed and her head bloody. She stirred slightly._

 

_"Go..." she croaked out._

 

_Malik pulled his son away and the Honda burst into flames; smoking and smelling of burning flesh. Hack began to cry fresh tears. His father picked him up; his son was abnormally light for a 13 year old. On the run again—they had to find some place safe away from the kaiju’s onslaught—the ground beneath them rumbled. A kaiju began moving towards them, the same one from the docks._

  
 

  _Explosions and gunfire were heard as the military arrived, turning whoever was still running into cannon fodder. There were more explosions and falling debris. The kaiju jumped and landed in front of Malik. It picked up the small human and threw him into a collapsing structure. Hack screamed as he was dropped to the ground; his father had let go when the kaiju grabbed him._

  
 

 " _Father!" Hack yelled. The boy froze when he heard a loud hiss. Slowly turning, he stared at the kaiju that was standing on the pile of rubble. A metal beam had fallen across Malik's back. The man shouted at his son to run._

  
 

  _The child couldn't move; he was too scared…he wished Ralia was here. His sister always made all the monsters go away._

  
 

  
The marshal walked in; her stride clipped and brisk. Blonde hair was cropped short on her head, a stern look on her fair face. Her eyes were storm grey. She stopped and stared at Hack once she reached the middle of the lab. She was tall, and had an experienced aura of a veteran, only matched by Marshal Pentecost.

  
 

"Give me a status report! Project Transcendence had better be a success, or I am relieving you of your positions!" she ordered. There was a no-nonsense, make-it-or-break-it tone to her voice. 

  
 Many people called the woman ‘Boss Lady’. She was a fierce and strong presence; she also had connections to Marshal Pentecost. A lot of soldiers feared and respected the commander, because Boss Lady was not the person you wanted to mess with or piss off. She had led multiple successful attacks against the kaiju on her own, as well.

  
 

 Piglet tried to suck up to her.

  
 "You look lovely today! I heard your men completed a tough mission!” he said, grinning. “But if course only the best can come from the best!"

  
 Boss Lady curled her upper lip slightly, and glared.  _The Snarl_. "Shut up, Doug! I said status report! I didn't order you to kiss my ass; I don't want any bullshit today!" she said, dismissing him with an agitated growl.

  
 Project Transcendence had been a repeated failure, a total of 6 subjects had been tested already to see if they could 'transcend' their physical bodies and become AI to help jaeger pilots out on the front. They had all failed. However the team—which had originally consisted of three men and a woman—discovered that the younger the test subject was the more flexible and adaptable it became. A younger mind was able to absorb more information and learn faster than an older one. So they started using younger subjects.

  
 Which, of course, was one of the reasons why they chose Hackett Jamison. The other reason was any relatives he had were dead; orthought that  **Hack**  was dead. So there were no problems, there. It wasn't like they purposefully went looking for them; he was literally brought to their doorstep by a desperate soldier.

  
  _Hack_   _finally fled from the beast, its ugly maw snapping at him and anything else that caught its attention. He made his way into a garden; somehow it had remained intact, surrounded by buildings from behind and both sides, opening up into the street. The child grew tired, panting and out of breath. His face was dusty, black hair plastered to his forehead from the sweat. When he looked around the corner of a decimated house, his eyes became saucers. The garden was lucky, and was untouched, save for some trash. It wasn't large, but would be the perfect hiding place for the frightened boy._

  
  _Hack made his way over and crawled behind a bush, drawing up his knees to his chest.  He waited, not believing that his parents were dead. If he simply waited they would come; and so would Ralia, right? She promised to always be there…he couldn't remember a time when she **didn't** keep the things that scared him at bay. Suddenly a memory of lizard hunting with Ralia flashed before his eyes._

__

* * *

__

“Just touch it, Hackie…” the girl was saying, holding an almost motionless lizard upside down in the palm of her hand while she knelt in the grass.  “It won’t hurt you.”

 

 A small, dark-haired boy that looked to be somewhere between five and six years old peered at the lizard from where his stood, half-hidden behind his big sister.

 

 “Nooo, I don’t wanna.  It’s scary, Ralia,” he whimpered to her, ducking his head into the back of her shoulder. 

 

 The sun was warm as it shone down on the two children as they stood in the field surrounded by yellowing grasses and large, flat rocks.  On the rocks around them, other lizards sunned themselves and ignored the two small humans in their midst.

 

 “It’s okay, Hackie…I won’t let it hurt you.  Why is it scary?” she asked him, tugging on her little brother until he stood next to her instead of hidden behind her.

 

 The young boy looked up at his sister’s face, deep chocolate-brown eyes meeting a matching pair.  The two of them looked remarkably similar in features—resembling their mother—save for the difference in hair color.  Where Hackett Jamison’s hair was the dark—almost black—brown of their father, Malik’s; Ralia Jamison had their mother Gladys’ caramel-colored blonde waves.  But they both had Malik’s dark brown eyes.

 

 “It’s scary,” Hackett insisted.  “What if it tries to bite me…or if it scratches?  It  _looks_  scary.”

 

 Ralia tilted her head as she looked at her little brother.  At the wise and much more experienced age of eleven, she often took it upon herself to educate Hackett in the ways of the world…at least, as much of it as she had learned herself.  After all, wasn’t that what big sisters were supposed to do?

 

 “It only looks scary because its different, and you don’t know about it yet,” she said, with the air of one who had long ago learned such things.  “This lizard is  _waayyy_  more scared of you than you are of it.”

 

 “Nuh-uhh,” Hackett said. 

 

 “Yes, it is,” she told him with finality.  “You’re big enough that you could eat it, and it knows that.  It’s afraid of you, Hackie.” 

 

 “No, it’s not,” he told her, just as convinced of that fact.  “It’s not running away.  If it was afraid of me, it would run away.”

 

 Ralia reached out and grabbed her brother’s hand.  “It’s not running away because it’s hypnotized,” she said.  “I’ll show you how.”

Stick out your finger…”

 

 Nervously, Hackett gingerly held out his index finger for his sister to take. 

 

Grasping his finger, she began to slowly and gently stroke the lizard’s belly with Hackett’s fingertip.  Under his finger, the lizard felt smooth and warm.  It slowly, lazily stretched out one leg and became motionless again; lying peacefully in his sister’s hand. 

 

 A grin began to spread across Hackett’s face.  He was doing it, he was hypnotizing a lizard!  Suddenly the lizard didn’t seem so frightening any more.  It was now just a soft, smooth, warm thing that was quietly breathing and waiting to be released.

 

 “I did it!” he said in an excited voice.  “Ralia, I did it!  I made it go to sleep!”

 

 “See,” she told him, her voice proud.  “I knew you could.  You just needed to stop being afraid of it because you didn’t know it.”  Ralia looked at her brother again.  “Are you ready for us to let him go so he can sleep on his rock now?” she asked.

 

 Hackett nodded his head and watched as his big sister put the sleepy lizard down on the ground.  

 

 The lizard sat there for a moment—as though waking up—before it slipped off through the grass. 

Around them, the occasional bird sang and the faint hum of flying insects could be heard in the grassy field.  His sister looked out where the lizard had gone for a moment longer before turning to him.

 

 “Ready to go back and see if lunch is ready?” came the question. 

 

 Hackett looked up.  “Yes,” he told her, “I’m hungry.”

 

 Ralia smiled and held out her hand for her little brother to take.  Hackett reached out and placed his hand in hers as they began to walk back to where their parents were setting up the picnic.  The grass swished against their ankles as they walked through it.

 

 “Ralia?” Hackett looked the ground as he asked the question, “What would you have done if it  _did_  try to hurt me?”

 

 His sister stopped walking.  “It wouldn’t,” Ralia said, her voice determined.  “I wouldn’t have let it.  I won’t let anything hurt you, Hackett.  You’re my little brother, and I will always be there to keep you safe…no matter what.”

I promise.”

* * *

 

 

 

 

_Ralia would come, she had promised…but, where was she?  She told him she would always keep him safe…._

 

  _Where was Father?_

 

  _They…they wouldn’t leave him here—alone—would they?_

 

  _Father was strong; nothing could stop him, and Hack had never seen him cry or back down from a challenge… All he had to do was climb out if that stuff that knocked him down, then he would find Hack and they would get out of there! Malik always knew where he was; even if he hadn't seen Hack take off or been told where the kid went, he always managed to find his son without help._

  
  _Hackett sniffled, the sun was high in the sky and the weather was getting hot. Where was Father? Or Ralia? What about Mum? He could still hear roars in the distance, but they were far away now. He counted to 10, and then decided to crawl out of the bush to check if the coast was clear. Hack rose slowly, thinking if anybody heard him the monsters would come back. The boy slowly crept out, peeking around the wall that was behind the bush he came from._

  
  _The boy wasn’t prepared for the sudden burst of brick and dust as the wall blew outwards. A kaiju was screeching, collapsing onto the ground and skidding, leaving a large trail of already ruined rubble before coming to a stop._

  
  _Hack couldn't breathe, his body felt like it **burned.** He tried to scream in pain, but the sound was muffled against the wounded roar of the creature before it died. The boy blacked out from lack of oxygen._

  


* * *

  
 

_Five hours later, canine search-and-rescue troops had surrounded the scene, looking for soldiers who needed medical help. The one leading the assignment was veteran Sgt. Weeana Zell; or ‘the Weasel’._

__

  _When her squad had learned that her nickname was Wee, she had been known as the Weasel from that point on. The way she was fast and small on the mats with her Bo, along with the shadow across her eyes that her short brown hair created when she angled her head a certain way, reminded people of a weasel, ensuring that the name had stuck. Eventually she gave up trying to fight the nickname, just accepting it as something that had followed her to yet another portion of her life…_  

  
 

  _The dogs were sniffing among the rubble, searching for casualties.  They found a middle-eastern man pinned under a metal beam from a building structure. He had died of wounds caused by the debris; his lungs crushed from the weight of the beam. The Weasel winced internally at the sight; that had to be a painful way to die._

  
  _She decided to search near the area of the fallen kaiju. Walking among the rubble, she followed her dog, Cappy, who was an Irish wolfhound/Belgium Malinois mix. He was huge and hairy, making him intimidating, but really he was sweet—unless the Weasel said otherwise. You just couldn’t let him jump on you, unless you wanted to be knocked backwards and slobbered on. Today though, they were in work mode. Cappy stopped and inhaled a scent, immediately burying his nose in a clump of dirt. He sneezed and picked up a trail, racing ahead with his tail high like a red flag._

  
  _Cappy barked loudly, racing towards a half destroyed bush. He smelled a particular scent, before following it to a pile of bricks, dust, and some branches. He whined and began to dig around the bricks furiously. Weeana raced up to him and began to help the dog dig, while calling out—_

  
 

" _We found one! Assistance required now! Over here…pronto!"_

  
  _Numerous clumps of bricks and chunks of rubble were moved before she found a child underneath; he looked to be no older than 12 or 13. Weeana’s heart broke at the sight of him, so young and alone. The boy coughed and choked for air, the dust in his lungs making it difficult. His shirt was soaked in blood. As bricks were removed the damage became visible; pieces of glass stuck into the left side of his face and his leg—ground there by the weight of the rubble that had trapped him, his left arm and shoulder had been crushed, and shrapnel had cut the left side of his head causing blood to mat his hair. His left leg had obviously been broken by the debris, and the lower portion was badly swollen._

  
 

_Cappy whined and tried to lick the boy’s face. Weeana pushed Cappy back._

  
 

  _"Ease up, buddy, I got him."_

__

  _She picked up the boy, the rest of the debris falling away. Carrying the boy bridal style, she sprinted with Cappy on her heels; running towards a white tent with a green cross on it. It was a make shift infirmary for injured soldiers, not civilians. But the veteran didn't care. She possessed some small authority; maybe if she lied and said he was her son it would get him saved._

  
 

* * *

  
 

Piglet bit his lip, that hadn't been the intended effect. He only wanted to her to ease up a little. If only Boss Lady loosened up...

  
 Sam came forward with a clipboard. "I am pleased to...say..." He looked at the SHiC—not pleased at all really—before going on. "That Project Transcendence is a success! The subject was able to fully integrate his mind into the system and become a full AI computer! His name is Hack1.0 due to his skill at breaking our code locks to conduct his own independent research; as well as being the potential first of a new generation of AI. He is also the first subject to successfully become a Super Human Intelligence Computer—abbreviated as S.H.i.C"

  
 Sam handed the clipboard to Boss Lady. She looked it over, a subtle twitch of the lips before she smiled. 

  
 "Thank you Dr. Samuels. I knew I could count on you to get this done; it’s amazing really. His stats are off the charts, you say? He will be fully usable. Expect to be paid in full. As for you, Doug..." She turned with cold look in her eyes. "Meet me outside; you are no longer useful to the project. The S.H.i.C. will be transferred to the coordinates on his document."

  
 Piglet sputtered. "B-but Marshal, please! I put so much work into this task! There's no way Samuels should be getting all the credit; it's simply not fair! I mean, we worked on this together and had an agreement that we'd both be promoted!"

  
 "Douglas Tagano! You were in charge of the subject's body! However, I received a report that the test subject was a  **child** ;would you like to explain how he died? Or tell his only family—who happens to be a jaeger pilot—that you turned her little brother into an AI? Because of your inability to properly assess his condition—which would have prevented the subject from participating in this project—I have to cover my ass!" Boss Lady walked over and slammed the clipboard on the desk—

  
 

* * *

 

_The doctors had refused to treat the boy at first; until Weeana alternated between threatening them and lying to them, saying he was her son. It was believable enough, since he had the same dark eyes as she did. However, more soldiers were coming in; so they could only stop the bleeding. The arm would have to be amputated and multiple surgeries would need to take place to save him. The kid looked pale and was filthy; most who assessed him said he wouldn't make it, proper treatment had been delayed too long to save him. So why make him suffer longer?  Give him something to ease his passing, and move on to someone they **could**  save…_

 

  
  _Many medic personnel had told her to let him go, but the Sergeant refused to give in. She bribed a military airplane pilot to take her another base in Canada, where the kaiju attacks were less concentrated. She had driven to each infirmary, carrying him carefully from her assigned vehicle and repeating the same story of finding her son in the rubble to the doctors. They all refused to treat him. One saw through her act; telling her to “…just let go already…” and that she “…didn't even know his name.” Cappy whined and looked at her hopefully every time she came back from a trip with the boy in her car. Each time she shook her head, the dog’s ears would droop, feeling her sadness._

  
  _She was finally able to get the boy into an infirmary by bribing a nurse. As he was being treated the 13 year old stirred, eyes lidded. He called for someone she didn't know._

  
  " _Ralia...where are you Ralia? I'm scared..."_

  
  _Sgt. Zell had asked his name to which he replied faintly "Hackett...Jamison..." before falling unconscious._

__

_Around Sgt. Zell, doctors shook their heads and muttered about “crush syndrome…first stage renal failure…toxic levels in bloodstream…most likely too far gone…” even as they ordered medications for pain and changed bags of fluid.  Finally, they told her that there was nothing more that could be done unless the boy’s condition began to stabilize or improve._

__

  _The next day a team of three men and one woman walked into the building. They walked among the soldiers, looking at those who had minor injuries and asking questions. When they came to Hackett's bed, one of the men came forward and his eyes lit up._

  
 

" _He's perfect!" The man was fat; he stuck out his hand to Sgt. Zell. She awkwardly shook it._

  
 

  _"My name is Doug Tagano! We were looking for some subjects for our project; particularly young ones and I noticed him here! We'd like for him to participate!" The man said this with joy, ignoring how the boy was covered with bandages and hooked to machines._

  
  _Another came forward, he had cropped hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. "I'm sorry about that, he's just desperate...my name is Dr. Samuels, but just call me Sam." He took one look at their potential subject and turned quickly to face Doug, and then pulled him out into the hall._

  
 

 " _Are you crazy? We can't use him! He's a just a kid and in no condition for this! What are you thinking!?" Sam whispered._

  
 

  _Doug whispered back. "We don't have anyone else! It's not like anybody will miss him! Do you see any relatives around here? The kid is alone…we can use him!"_

  
   _Sam shook his head "The marshal won't allow this! We'll lose the contract!"_

  
  _Doug gripped his arm, "We will lose our contract if we don't! He is young, his mind will be flexible! The marshal won't find out unless we tell her. It's our only chance. Samuels…are you going to waste months of work and setbacks? Everything we’ve done will be for nothing! The kaiju are not going to wait for us to come up with another subject! He is all we've got!"_

  
  _Sam hesitated; they were going to lose everything, but at the same time…the boy was barely a teenager. In the end he relented. Both went back into the room._

  
  _Weeana looked up when they came back. Sam approached her and asked when she had to go back to her base. It turned out she had received a message a week earlier; she only had two days left before she had to leave.  She couldn't take the boy with her, which explained her desperation to find a place to treat him. Sam offered full-care for him, and said she could visit if she was able._

  
  _Sgt. Zell had thanked him profusely; shaking Sam’s hand and then hugging him. It became awkward after that. The veteran Sergeant went to her car and opened it; her duffel bag was already in the back seat._

  _Cappy was waiting in the passenger seat. His tail wagged, sensing his friend’s happiness. He whined when he didn't see Hackett._

  
  _He's not coming buddy, but he'll be in good hands." She ruffled the dog’s head and got in the car, driving away._

  
  _She never got to visit the boy she saved. Sgt. Weeana Zell was killed in the line of duty a month later. An ambush by kaijus cultists._

  
_Hack was moved out the same day and flown to a base in Seattle where he was worked on by the project team as promised. His arm and shoulder were amputated and his left leg was reconstructed. However, he went into a coma a year later and was on life-support. His body began to waste away despite their efforts._

  
_Sam didn't want to go through with the testing the subject; but Hack was dying and the whole team depending on his actions. He grudgingly gave the go for Hackett Jamison to be put into deep neural handshake with the AI already in their system. Hopefully, the boy would end up connecting with the computer and at that point, be forced to have an Out of Body Experience. Making him merge with the AI's system and take it over._

  
  _Hack's neural handshake with the AI was a success; the team let out a breath. Then the child's body died. His mind had been downloaded into a small computer based on the incredibly dense connections of the human brain._   _The boy would become the first Super Human Intelligence Computer._

__

_When Sam booted Hack up, he 'woke up' with no problems. Sam became the one he would trust._

  
  _Three weeks later the other two members of the team left the project, leaving Sam and Doug scrambling to get Project Transcendence done. However, when Hack began to conduct independent searches and add to his learning database, they knew the project would survive and ultimately be successful. It became tricky when he exhibited his personality; and even more trouble for Doug when he disobeyed orders._

  
  _It got worse when he began to ask questions, which an AI shouldn't do; he kept asking for his 'family' to which Doug denied him answers. Hack eventually stopped asking about his parents, but latched on to asking about his sister and wanting to see her. To shut him up, Doug told Hack he wouldn't be able to see his without a visible body. Hack solved that quickly. He used a holographic program that he ‘found’ on one of his personal searches; creating an image of himself that could be seen and move freely._

  
 

_Hack was adamant about finding his sister, Ralia. His independent searches allowed him to find information—and  by learning to get through firewalls without being noticed—allowed him to found out that she was still alive. He just needed her location, and transfer files._

__

_Hack learned quickly with Sam, but nothing got done when Doug was around. This pattern was disturbing as well as exciting; the AI was impulsive and acted his age. When Hack threw a fit because Doug broke his promise let Hack play Angry Birds on the man’s computer, both Sam and Doug realized that Hack wasn't just a copy of Hackett Jamison’s personality...he WAS Hackett Jamison._

__

  _This was genuinely Ralia's little brother; his mind had 'transcended' his body. Making them also realize that he was truly the first S.H.i.C. of his generation._

  
 

  _Sam added 1.0 to his name. Joking that had this happened when kaiju didn't attack…Hackett would still be the first of his age group to become a human/AI._

  
 

 " _Sort of like Ghost in the Shell..."_

__

  _He had said the same to Doug, but his partner merely rolled his eyes._

__

* * *

 

Hack jumped when the marshal slammed down the clipboard on the desk. This woman must be really mad, but he was enjoying the show. Hack’s hologram covered his mouth to hide a smile. Piglet noticed, however, and tried to interrupt the marshal. _  
_

  
 

"But Sam didn't tell you that he still needs some work; he disobeys my commands and encrypts his independent searches—" Boss Lady grabbed the man by the collar of his lab coat and yanked him closer to her face, forcing the little man to stand on his toes.

  
 

The Snarl appeared on her face again. She said to him with finality, "You. Are. Fired. Doug." The marshal dropped him. "Now get out of my sight! Report yourself for discharge from the program! We don't babysit incapable idiots!"

  
 

The man scrambled to his feet and snatched his suitcase, racing out the open door. Boss Lady turned to look at Hack.

  
"So you're the S.H.i.C? You're going to be transferred to..." She picked up the paper that Sam had printed while Piglet was being stupid. "Hong Kong? Humph! Well I've done my part, you're their problem now! And if you're really what Dr. Samuels says you are…then behave yourself. I'm not going to come save you; and no refund either." She nodded at Sam. "You are ready to transfer the SHiC to the DOPTOM?”

 

 “Yes, ma’am, Marshal Paulson,” Sam replied. 

 

“Then do it.  After you have done so, pack up and move out. You have a new contract. You're going with him as his programmer! Dismissed!"

 

She turned and walked briskly out of the building. Before long, they could hear an engine turn over and watch as a large armored Humvee pulled away.

  
 

 

  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pirateweasel and i are workin on it, dont sweat it yall  
> lol  
> much prompts to still do on my end  
> fekin shaun hastings and his damn pineapple!


	4. Decisions and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "....I've learned that you've got to make a decision, even if everyone will hate you in the end..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay! Update!  
> enjoy!

 

 

 

  
Sam brought the broken boy to HQ. Doug had been constantly going on about the potential success of Project Transcendence as they traveled by ambulance and plane. Hackett Jamison was covered in a thick blanket and laid down in the back of the ambulance for the last leg of their trip. 

 Sam had been the one to wheel the kid’s gurney out of the infirmary; taking it upon himself to watch the child. The man kept silent the whole ride, ignoring his excited partner unless he had to actually answer a question. He rubbed his thumb lightly over his patient's hand back and forth as he held it. When they finally arrived at their destination, Sam seemed to hold Hackett's hand tighter, dreading the fact that he'd accepted to use their charge for this project. When his partner Doug opened the back door, Sam asked him to get a more orderlies to help; he didn't want to jostle the injured boy since his shoulder still needed reconstruction and possibly his arm amputated.

 When Hackett was brought in the two other members of the team, Dr. Fawkes and Dr. Moelly gaped and stared at the two men. 

 They both said in astonishment, "That can't be our new subject." 

 Doug shrugged as he walked by nonchalantly. Sam didn't having any patience for being questioned. He looked up at Moelly as he wheeled Hackett into the medical section of HQ. His brows went down and his eyes lidded to give the man an irritated yet bored look.

"He is," the doctor said, his voice deadpan. 

 Dr. Fawkes argued with him. "There's no way that he's the new patient! Have you lost your minds?!"

The woman was surprised at how Sam had answered the question, the flatness of his voice as he confirmed that the kid before them was the newest participant in Project Transcendence.

  
 Doug began to start on the paperwork for the patient report. Everything was to be documented and notes taken on their new subject for the project.

"Don't just stand there," he said, moving past them. "Go help Samuels with whatever it is he needs for the kid. We need to keep him alive!" 

 The doctor waved them off as he began calibrating the system's AI for neural handshake. The process of calibration was complex and required complete attention to every detail; especially since Hackett was a child and thus had an adaptable mind. Every subject that had been in the project was different; if the system was calibrated wrong it would throw off the whole experiment.

  
 Moelly and Fawkes approached Sam hesitantly, he wasn't acting like himself. The poor man kept twitching and muttering nervously to himself, agitated as he began to unwrap and cut away the bandages off the subject in the medical ward of their building. 

  
 Fawkes spoke first. "We'd like to be of assistance to you."

  
 Sam glanced at her and stopped, seeming to weigh the option of help before sighing heavily. He merely nodded.

Fawkes began checking the preteen's vitals.

  
 "Let's get him hooked up to some machines, and then we'll see what’s wrong with him."

Moelly looked at the charts and x-rays showing the damage done to Hackett's body and inhaled sharply. "His shoulder's been crushed, and the damage to his arm and leg…" He immediately ran for the supply closet to get out the necessary tools for surgery and meds.

Sam watched as they bustled about, he could tell they didn't want Hackett as their new test subject for their assignment. "X-rays were already taken from the clinic we found him at. His arm might need to be amputated and his shoulder needs to be repaired."

Dr. Moelly came back with the cart of tools and medicine. "Where exactly did you get him?"

"A clinic in Canada. Some sergeant was desperate to get him treated but the previous clinics she went to had refused to treat him," he replied.

"The only reason they'd refuse him is if there's more damage underneath than what we're seeing right now. It could be internal bleeding or fragments of the bone in a vital organ," Dr. Fawkes said as she inserted another IV into Hackett's hand.

Doug looked over at them. "You're doing the surgery now?" he asked, somewhat suprised.

“As soon as I get the information from this charts…” Moelly answered.

“Yes, but…now?” Doug asked again.

All three answered in unison this time.

"Yes."

Moelly closed the door, his eyes never leaving the charts that he was reading as quickly as possible.  His voice mumbled as he read the charts to himself, allowing the others in the room to hear snippets of the charted data.

“Patient found under large pieces of rubble and debris approximately five hours after kaiju attack…apparent crush injuries to arm, shoulder and leg…at least they performed a fasciotomy on the leg, that might save it…multiple lacerations, contusions and abrasions, multiple fractures….dangerous levels of potassium and thromboplastin… patient treated for hypovolemic shock…development of renal…." 

Lactated Ringers?  They administered sodium bicarbonate?   That treatment hasn’t been proven effective!  What were they doing there?  Rescue treatment and procedures must have been completely ignored!" 

This kid is lucky he’s still alive! He never would have stabilized with this treatment protocol!”  Dr. Moelly slammed the charts down on a nearby table, muttering angrily about “medieval medical practices…” only partially under his breath.

Everyone scrubbed up. Sam would be in charge of the anesthesia.

However everyone froze, when Hackett groaned and his eyelids fluttered. He began to move his head, squinting and disoriented in the bright light.

"R-Ralia?" he managed to croak out. His voice was raspy from disuse. The boy's hand twitched and began to move, tightening into a fist. "Ralia...where'd...you go? T-too bright..."

Hackett was scared; he didn't know where he was and the light was hurting his eyes. He clenched them shut.  His shoulder throbbed and he couldn't feel his arm or move it at all. His throat hurt too. "M-mum? The sound of the heart monitor frightened him as well.

The EKG began to speed up, the blips indicating the kid's heart rate increasing with stress.

Sam surged forward and took his hand. "Go back to sleep, you'll find her soon. We need to fix you first." The doctor rubbed the boy's hand the same way he did when they were in the ambulance; moving his thumb back and forth over the top of the hand.  

Hack froze at the contact and the voice, which was oddly comforting. He tried to open his eyes, only managing to crack them open slightly; his vision was blurred and unable to make out Sam's shape.

"Go back to sleep..."

The anesthesia began to take effect.

Hackett panicked as he was dragged down into darkness again, trying to fight the drug and stay awake. His efforts were futile, eyes closing, his grip on Sam's hand loosened and went slack. Hack's heart rate evened out and became steady again.

Everyone in the room let out a breath of relief before they began to operate on Hackett's arm, shoulder and leg.

             

                                                                      [1 hour into surgery...]

  
 "Sam, he's got damage all the way to and involving the joint of the shoulder, we’re going to need to remove the whole arm. Possibly the scapula, and collarbone as well," Moelly said as he was removing bits of bone and putting it on a bloody tray. The EKG showed a still steady heartbeat. However that could all change if a mistake was made. Fawkes had reconstructed half of Hackett's injured leg.

Sam nodded and blinked back tiredness from his eyes as he went over to look at what Moelly pointed out. Fawkes attached a blood bag to the pole where the IV hung. Looking into the shoulder where it connected to the arm Sam could see that the joint had been destroyed beyond repair.

"Okay, remove the joint," Sam said, wearily. "Be careful, he's lost enough blood already." 

Dr. Fawkes heard the tiredness in his voice. Looking over her shoulder she spoke up.

"Go rest, Sam. We'll take it from here."

"But I can't le—“ he began to protest.

"Just go get some coffee or something. We know what we're doing."  She turned back to the boy on the operating table and began to help Dr. Moelly remove the arm.

  
                       

* * *

 

 

Sam stared at his thermos, blue eyes listless as they watched the steam rise slowly from the coffee and dissipate into the air. His grip on the thermos was tight as he read over the calibration of the subject. The man's shoulders slumped as he leaned over his disorganized desk with his other hand in his hair. Sam's lab coat was wrinkled as were the rest of his clothes; he hadn't been able to shave either so a beard was beginning to sprout. Guilt was gnawing on him like a dog would on a bone, burrowing in and latching on to him tightly.

Why hadn't put his foot down and said no to Doug? The poor boy had been through enough already and now he had taken his freedom away.

It didn't help that Sam's partner was humming to himself in the backround.  The man obviously was unaffected and didn't care about Hackett's well-being. 

Sam let out a breath and forced himself to sit up. It was too late to turn around and say he wanted to take the boy and put him back where they found him. He wouldn't do himself any good if he berated and blamed himself for what Hack was going to be put through.

Even if it was technically his fault that the kid was brought to their base in the first place.

He turned on the computer in front of him and logged into the Project Transcendence data base where information was kept for learning as well as documentation of the subject's progress. Scrolling down he typed a couple of keys and opened a folder. 

The folder read 'Design of Portable Transportation or Mobility' it was shortened to D.O.P.T.O.M

Since they needed the AI to be capable of getting into any system, it had to be portable. Mobility was another issue as well. The marshal that was monitoring Project Transcendence wouldn't like to haul around a bulky AI core; which was where Hackett would be physically kept if the test was successful.

Hackett would have to be able to connect with any other computer system in Wi-Fi range; which was what Doug had said before he gave the USB with the blue prints of it stored in to Sam.

The man had worked that out, but now the problem was mobility. Sure he could always put Hackett into a laptop, but who would want to carry that around before it got tiring and annoying? 

 Sam sat back in his chair, slumping a little. He let his eyes wonder until they landed on the old classroom globe he had always kept with him from home. It was a quirk that his team found weird but grateful for because they could just look at it to trace out routes when they got tired of staring at a digital screen version of a map. The man stared at it, wondering if Hackett ever rolled a ball around with his family or did any soccer which was typical for his age group. Suddenly and idea sparked into his head, the globe, Hackett, and rolling a ball. Perhaps a suspended system core inside a ball? One that could roll on its own or be easily carried!

Dr. Samuels bolted up straight in his chair and took out a digital pen and tablet. Connecting it to the computer he opened Adobe Illustrator and began to sketch out the concept of his idea. Putting the AI core of the system inside a gyroscope, like a null field because the ball would move on its own but on the inside the core wouldn't move! Then adding small speakers into the sides that slid open when in use and closed when the ball moved. A holographic plate perhaps to see Hackett? No that sounded like too much. Leaving that out!

Sam worked on the design tirelessly as Hackett was operated on in the infirmary ward. He became fully focused on the design, everything melting into the backround, muted and ignored.

  
 

                              

* * *

 

"How is he?" Sam asked Moelly as they watched Hackett on the bed.

The man looked shriveled and bone tired as he filled Sam in on the details.

"There was compartmentalization in his left leg and he’d developed crush syndrome prior to arriving here. We were only able to relieve some of the pressure on the leg. Thankfully the other medical group did a fasciotomy on the leg, so we should be able to save it," Moelly said with a yawn.

"Honestly Sam, the pressure on the shoulder and arm injuries were probably the only reason the bleeding stopped; and also why the kid was passed out most of the time when he was with that sergeant…to cope with the pain."

 Dr. Moelly shook his head as he looked at the small figure swathed in bandages on the bed.  “Whoever pulled him out of the rubble had no idea how it should have been done…it’s impossible to tell what was caused by the initial injuries and what was caused by inadequate treatments.  He’s hyperkalemic, dealing with early-to-mid-stage renal failure, and at a very high risk right now for heart failure.”

The doctor gave a tired sigh.  “We have him scheduled to begin dialysis as soon as the anesthesia wears off.  Frankly, Albert…I don’t know how he’s held on this long.  The kid’s got heart…”

In a very tired voice, Sam told him, “I know.  He’s a tough little guy.  That sergeant hauled him to every base and medic post she could to find someone that would treat him…with next to no real medical care until she got to the last one.  I guess no one else thought he would make it.”  Sam started to turn away from the bed, only to pause before he reached the door.

“Moelly,” he said.  “Don’t call me Albert again…you know I hate being called that.” 

Behind him, the doctor watched his patient, a small smile on his face.

Fawkes tucked Hackett in and checked the machines he was connected to.

Sighing and shaking her head she left the bedside and approached Sam with a calm demeanor that meant trouble.

"He might wake up soon after so he'll need someone by him," she told him.

She looked back at their subject, then turned and spotted the D.O.P.T.O.M. on Sam's PC monitor.

Her brows furrowed, as frowning deeply the woman asked, "Dr. Samuels can I speak to you? Alone?"

Sam sighed, nodding to her; he patted Moelly on the shoulder.

"Go get rest," Sam told the other doctor. "You need it."

As soon as the man left Fawkes grabbed Sam's arm; dragging him further into the medic ward, where the quiet hum of machines and the EKG filled the profound silence as Fawkes’ angry green eyes met Sam's blue ones. The woman crossed her arms whilst glaring at the scientist.

"What is this about, Fawkes?" Sam finally asked. He couldn't stand the accusation in her eyes.

"I don't know, Sam. You tell me. I thought you would change your mind about using him!"

"We don't have time to find another subject. All the other people at the clinic in Canada were too old or severely injured." Sam dead-panned. Why did she have to bring this up now?

"I understand that, but a child, Sam!? A kid? Why?" 

"Because he was the only one there that...that Doug spotted as useful in the project! His family is dead or missing!" 

"So that's why you brought him? For the good of this project; that you're just so into?"

The sarcasm in her voice stung.  "No, Fawkes!" Sam protested. "It's not like that I...I just...”

"God, I can't believe you." She shook her head. She began to leave but Sam stopped her.

"Fawkes, wait! I didn't choose him! I told Doug we couldn't; but at the same time I didn't want to fail all of you!"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Then you should've left him there. Not brought him into this. Look at him Sam!"

She shook off the hand on her shoulder. "Look at him! Do you expect him to survive this?"

"He was going to die if we didn't take him!" Sam answered back. "There was no one else! Don't you get that? Everything we put in and let go of, would be gone…for nothing!"

Who would stop the kaiju then? Who would help the jaeger pilots who are hanging on to a thin thread of hope that an AI would aid them in battle?" Sam clenched his hands. "I didn't choose him, Doug did. Everyones asses are on the line and I couldn't do that to you guys."

"He will die either way. You should have let him go." 

"You know I can't do that. I don't want him to die--"

"--but you don't want him to go through this."

"Fawkes. Please. I have enough guilt as it is."

"You're throwing away his life for everyone? For this stupid project? We're not saving lives by taking a 12 year old's life and mind."

"I know that," he said quietly.

"You're a hypocrite!” she exploded. “You're not the same anymore, Sam! What happened to you? What happened to...us?" 

Sam tried to say something but closed his mouth, shoulders slumping. He sat down in a nearby chair and rubbed his face with his hands. War with the kaiju had changed his views and what actions he took. Sam laid his head back against the chair, exhaling deeply and sagging into the seat.

"This fight with the kaiju has changed everyone. I've learned that you've got to make a decision, even if everyone will hate you in the end. There's no having it both ways and you know it."

Fawkes shook her head, curly brunette  hair swishing in waves around her shoulders. "You've changed for the worst."

"War brings out the monster in man. It turns them into unrecognizable beasts. In the aftermath they are exiled; because the innocent who are no longer innocent, the ones who have seen things they should never have experienced…demand it. They do not want to be reminded; because they are also hypocrites, committing actions to ensure their own survival that haunt them. In the end, we all lose our innocence and with it, our humanity." Sam was drained, emotionally and physically.The journey to find the subject had been difficult and frustrating to no end.

"Is that some deep philosophy bullshit you just pulled out of thin air to answer?"

Sam sat there, looking at Fawkes blankly; then focused his eyes on the floor. Quietly he said "I made a decision; I won't hesitate to pay for it. Like I said before, I can't have it both ways like some idealist would want it to be. I can only choose one like a realist, and endure the hate that is to come with that."

Fawkes stood there; she knew she couldn't convince Sam. He and the boy were too far into this now and couldn't stop or back off. Looking at the disheveled man before her, she could see the guilt and weariness taking its toll on him.

"It's okay if you hate me…just say so. If you want to quit, I will write you recommendations. I knew you would despise me for it, it's your right." 

"Sam..." She took a step forward as if she wanted to comfort him.

He was right, though; she did hate him.

Not for changing, but for taking a child as a subject.

It would be a new form of torture, being unable to feel anything while your thoughts and thinking processes going faster than a normal human.

The woman thought about all the failures they had in Project Transcendence. All the other subjects had failed because they hadn’t had a choice in whether they wanted to participate. They also failed because the subjects that were adults couldn't adapt their minds to the new reality, the neurons in their brains were finalized so they couldn't adapt or accept the world of the AI.

However, a pair of twenty-something’s showed promise, the calibration-synch went well, their minds were young and adaptable, the neurons in their brains also adaptable and able to accept it. The experiment failed when both subjects panicked and ripped themselves out of the connection, causing severe damage to the cortex of their brains and killing them.

A hollow laugh came from him. "Really, I don't blame you. I won't be surprised when Moelly hates me too."

There was resignation in the expression on Sam's face.

"S-Sam...I don't...I don't want him to suffer... When I do leave…promise me you'll stay with him?" she asked sadly.

She was asking a lot of the doctor, she knew. Fawkes didn't plan on staying for long; she was going to transfer to another facility. Fawkes was only going to stay long enough until calibration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont worry guys more is coming soon!


	5. Well, From a Kaiju's Point of View...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A kaiju POV up to Hackett being buried under rubble. Read and enjoy.

Prey. Lots of it. Scurrying around on land surface. Weak, careless, not mindful of danger.

Mine.

My prey, my territory...to kill, to mark, to lair in.

Mine to eat, mine to attract a mate with.

Water all mine. Land all mine. My territory.

Hunt prey, eat prey. Prey is good. Prey is mine.

Larger, hard-shelled prey tries to fight. I destroy.

Hard-shelled prey has smaller, softer prey inside. I eat.

Mine, all mine.

I will mark this...mine. Mark my territory, mark prey.

Blood hot and tasty.

My blood is hot, also, and I will mark my territory with it.

I will fight, and scrape, and claw until all know--prey, kin, metal hard-skins that fight--all know is mine.

 

All mine.

 

More.

More prey, more food, more territory...more to attract mate.

 

Kin is dead.

Follow order. Master say destroy Vancouver. Hard-shelled prey gone.

 

Excited. Hungry. Angry.

 

Much sound prey makes. Run, hide, and cry.

Destroy everything, claim the prey's dens!

 

Mine mine mine!

Prey is weak. Prey is running. Don't like that. Want that one!

Big prey and little prey.

Eat offspring! Offspring will taste good.

 

No! Wrong one! Want little one not big one.

Big one screaming, little one stay, yes stay.

 

Hungry. Throw big one, he too much noise. Be quiet.

 

Watch as smallest prey runs and hides.

It does not matter. So many scurrying things to catch, to destroy and consume.

All will be eaten, all are mine.

 

Hard metal-skins fighting; attempting to prevent claiming of territory.

 

Angry!

Mine! My territory! Mine!

 

Shrieking defiance and threats at metal-skins!

Leave, metal-skins!

 

My territory! My prey! Leave, or I destroy and consume!

 

Metal-skins fighting!

Pain!

Metal-skins cause injury, pain…

Must not relinquish territory…masters want territory, demand it.

Must obey masters, but PAIN!

 

Metal-skins make loud noises, like thunder.

They throw things that hurt and push me back…

 

 

No!

Dig claws into ground, try to move forward.

Am thrown backward, through hard rock-things.

Prey is thrown, I am not prey!

 

Try to stand and fall.

Cannot stand, cannot fight…cannot fail masters!

 

Must find…must find _something_ to use to fight metal-skins.

 

Searching, searching, cannot find…

 

There!

Something moving!

What is moving?

 

Smallest prey.

Weak.

Injured.

Hiding under rocks.

 

See you, small prey.

Will catch you, dig out from under rocks and devour.

Will use you to mark territory after destroying metal-skins.

Will stand and fight metal-skins…

Will stand…

Fight…

 

Will…will…

 

…fail masters?

 

Smallest prey....makes....faint pain...sound...

 

Have failed masters....have fai—...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Dreaming of Coronado Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best day you have at Coronado Beach can be so good, it seems like a dream.  
> But dreams can change so quickly...

“Okay, sweetie,” John said, putting his daughter on the ground near the car.  “Got your bucket and shovel?”

Four-year-old Misty gave a squeal of delight and waved the little green plastic shovel that came as a set with the bucket held in her other hand in the air.  “Gonna make sand castles, Daddy!”

John gave a chuckle and reached down to tousle the dark curls that topped her head.  “Yeah, sweetie.  You can make all the sand castles you want, as big as you want.  Stay out of the water unless your mommy or I are with you, alright?”

With another happy squeal Misty shot towards the sands of Coronado Beach, pink flip-flops flapping against her feet.

“Was that such a good idea?” his wife asked, standing behind him. She wore a black and white batik print sarong tied around her waist to cover the lower portion of the one-piece purple swimsuit that clung to her ample curves. The soft breeze teased a few locks of her short hair out of place to blow around her face.

John reached into the trunk of the car and lifted out the bag of charcoal with one hand and the folding shovel he had brought for digging a fire pit with.  Turning, he saw June watching as their daughter’s headlong progress scattered a few gulls into the air with complaining cries. His wife’s arms held rolled towels and the picnic basket.

“Woman, what are you doing?” he mock-grumbled, transferring the shovel to the same hand as the bag of charcoal and reaching for the picnic basket.  “Give me that…how are you going to keep up with that child if your hands are full?”

“I wouldn’t need to if you hadn’t just turned her loose into the wild.” The smile that June turned onto him made John’s chest tighten with the sheer amount of love that he felt for her. 

How did he ever get to be this lucky?

Body shop mechanics weren’t supposed to have a wife that made every supermodel look plain by comparison when they smiled; much less have one like her fall in love and want to have babies with you...  And yet, here she was, standing next to him. It didn’t matter to him that she claimed she needed to lose weight, or that one of her front teeth was chipped.  He knew better.  She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. She had skin like milk chocolate; and a laugh that would coax the sun up in the sky when the world was ending.  It also didn’t hurt, he thought with a private grin, that she looked as good going as she did coming.

June turned back to watch Misty as the little girl ran a few steps, stopped to squat and investigate something to decide if it was worthy of being included in a future sand castle, and then ran a few more steps to repeat the process.

“The whole day at the beach, John? This is a wonderful idea,” she said, smiling, still watching their daughter as they began walking towards the water’s edge. Under their feet, the sand shifted unevenly, slowing them and being kicked up in small bursts with every step.

“When we leave, I was thinking we should stop by Ghirardelli’s; get you some of those dark chocolates you like so much,” he told her, leaning down to kiss June’s temple as he did so.

“I don’t know if I want to wait that long for a bite of dark chocolate,” June laughed, aiming a playful nip at the portion of John’s upper arm that was left uncovered by the short sleeve of his shirt.

“Ow,” he said, pretending to be injured. “What did I do, marry a cannibal?” He let out a laugh of his own as she bumped her shoulder against him.

“Let’s go catch up with that wild animal we call a daughter before she terrorizes every gull out here,” June told him, motioning with her chin in the direction of a small figure in a bright yellow swimsuit that was currently chasing after a trio of disgruntled gulls. “Oh, lord. She’s lost one of those new flip-flops already,” she sighed, moving to intercept the fast-moving form that was shrieking with laughter at the sight of the gulls taking flight. “Misty, baby…leave the birdies alone, okay?” she called as she jogged further down the beach.

John grinned at the sight before setting down the picnic basket and other supplies.  The sun was already high in the sky and a pleasant warmth that soaked into his bones through his clothes.  He could feel the first few drops of sweat starting to bead up on his skin as he pulled his shirt over his head.  Setting the shirt down on top of the picnic basket, he reached for the collapsing shovel he had brought to dig a fire pit.  It wouldn’t be that long before his pretty girls were hungry and would want to eat.  Better to have the fire ready for the hotdogs before then.  Clearing a spot in the sand, he began to dig.

This was looking like the best day of his life.

* * *

 

It was mid-afternoon when they started to pack up the picnic in preparation to leave. 

Misty was putting the final touches on her sand castle, carefully placing feathers that she had gathered on the mounded towers like banners.  John was pouring water from Misty’s little green sand bucket over the nearly extinguished coals of the fire. June was shaking sand out of the towels that they had sat on and putting up the remains of the lunch and the dishes it had been served on.

“John? Can you get the day off work for Misty’s birthday?” June asked. “I think she would like to come back out here for it.  We could bring a cake…” Her eyes were on the little girl sitting next to a lop-sided mound of sand with lumpy ‘towers’ sprouting up all over it.

“I don’t see why not,” he said absently, moving to avoid the clouds of steam as he poured the remaining water over the coals.  “It’s just over two weeks away. I should be able to request it off; and if I don’t get the day off, Manny will trade shifts with me if I tell him it’s for Misty’s birthday. He and Sarah are trying to have a kid.”

“They’ll make great parents,” she told him, rolling up the towels.  “Misty, time to get ready to go,” June called to their daughter.

Misty looked up from her sand castle. “No, Mommy!” she protested, shaking her head.  “I’m not done with the castle!”

“What else does the castle need?” June asked.

“Needs water ring!”

June turned to John. “Water ring? John, do you know what she wants?”

“I think she wants a moat around the castle,” he said, straightening up. He held out the bucket. “Why don’t you take her to get some water for the moat? I’ll stay here and finish burying the fire pit.”

“John, that water is cold!”

“It’s not that cold, sweetie,” he chuckled.  “Besides, you only have to go as deep as her knees to fill the bucket.”

“I will never understand how you can swim in that,” she told him, taking the empty bucket from his hand. “Give me a kiss and then the munchkin and I will go fill that moat.”

John grinned at her.  “Absolutely, beautiful.” He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you, too,” she murmured back.  She smiled up at John and then slapped her hand against his bare chest. “Put your shirt back on, He-man,” she said.  “I’ll take Misty and her moat while you finish up here.”

He watched as his wife walked towards the sand castle, plastic bucket in one hand, the other tucking her sarong up to raise the hem to her knees. A few moments later, she was holding Misty’s hand while the little girl dragged her bucket through the shallow water to fill it.

John went back to stirring the ashes of the fire with his shovel, checking to make certain that no live coals remained before he began adding sand to stir into the dead fire. 

He had just begun to fill in the hole that held the fire pit when he felt the ground shudder. _Earthquake_ , he thought.  He turned to find June and Misty only to hear a roar, followed by the panicked, piercing screams of his family.

Rising out of the waters of San Diego Bay was a monstrous _thing_.  It roared again, answered by another scream from Misty.

“ ** _Daddy_** _!”_

His attention snapped back to Misty.  _Oh, dear god in heaven, it was a KAIJU and it was standing RIGHT OVER HIS FAMILY—_

Something inside of him broke at the sight, uncoiling like a broken spring whipping free.  Shovel still in hand, John ran as fast as he could towards the creature that was coming closer to his family.

“ ** _Run!_** _”_ he screamed, “ _June, run!”_ His feet were moving, pounding over the sand— _too far, why were they so far away—_ as he ran towards the water, waving the shovel in his hand as he tried to gain the attention of the creature. 

“Here!” he shouted, “Look over here you big, ugly thing! Over here and leave them alone!”  For a moment—an incredible, beautiful moment—it seemed to be working.  The kaiju turned its head to look at him and seemed as though it was about to follow him; and then John’s world collapsed.

“ _Daddy!”_ Misty was screaming for him, her face scrunched up with fear as she reached a small hand out in his direction. “ _Daddy, make it go away!  I’m scared!”_

At the sound of her voice, the creature shifted its attention back to his family with a snort.  It began to lumber back in their direction, hook-like claws swinging as it moved.

“No! You bastard, you keep away from them!” John screamed, his voice raw with panic.  He ran under the beast’s legs, still swinging the only weapon he had—the small, collapsible shovel. “You stay away from my family!” John screamed again, swinging at the creature’s foreleg.

The shovel edge caught the thinner skin on the underside of the creature’s foreleg at the joint, cutting it and sending a thin spray of blue fluid into the air.  John screamed in pain as some of the spray splattered in a line across his face, burning a line from an inch above his hair-line and down his face, narrowly missing his right eye as it did so.  More of the acidic blue fluid dripped from his face and down his neck, setting his throat on fire.

His scream was drowned out by the roar the kaiju gave, although he would never be able to say with any certainty whether the monster was roaring from pain, or irritation at the human that was pestering him. The kaiju’s forelimbs were swinging wildly as it tried to ‘swat’ him.

“Come on! Come on and leave them alone!” he shouted up at the creature.

There was a sound in the distance that was growing louder, the sound of something heavy and metallic pounding against the earth and water. Whatever the noise was, it was attracting the kaiju’s attention, causing it to look up and away from John.  When he risked a glance, he saw that one of the giant mechs that had been built to fight the kaiju was approaching.  With another roar, the kaiju moved off to challenge the new opponent, leaving John and his family behind.

John looked past the kaiju to where he had last seen June and Misty. 

They were still there.

Lying in the shallows was his family.

“ ** _No_** _!”_ he screamed, running towards the limp forms in the water.  “No, sweeties…no, not you…” John cried, falling to his knees and gathering them close. 

“ ** _NO!_** ” he screamed again, clutching his wife and child to his chest as he did.  The burning on his face and throat hadn’t stopped, and seemed to sink claws into his throat as he screamed out his pain; changing his voice until he couldn’t recognize it as his own.

“Nooo,” John sobbed. He raised his face to the sky and screamed out a denial of what he held in his arms.

* * *

 

“No!” John screamed, bolting upright in his bed, blankets falling away from him. Sweat was cold and clammy on his skin, crawling over his chest and back as he tried to catch his breath in the dark room.

Next to him, there was a rustling of fabric as someone moved under the sheets. 

“Hey,” a soft voice was saying, “…hey, I’m here; you’re here. Breathe, John, breathe.”

A hand was slowly sliding to wrap fingers with him. Someone was with him.

Ralia.

There was a ‘click’ as a low light was turned on next to the bed. Ralia was pushing herself up to sit against the head of the bed.

“Was it the dream again?” she asked. “The beach?”

John nodded his head, trying to get his breathing under control.

“What do you remember of it?”

“Good day,” he said, his voice hoarse.  “Best day…and then worst day.  I remember seeing the jaeger coming in, and the kaiju moving away to fight it…too late, they were just too damn late.  If the jaeger had gotten there a minute sooner, or if I had drawn it further away…both of us too damn late…” John’s voice caught, rough and raw with emotion.

“What do you need now?” Ralia asked him.

“Stay here,” he reached over and caught her shoulder.  “Stay here and talk to me…read that book you had earlier.  Anything so I don’t think about it right now.”

“Okay,” she told him, nodding her head.  “Okay, I’ll read my book and we’ll talk…”

She picked up the worn paperback copy of Philip K. Dick’s ‘ _Do Android’s Dream of Electric Sheep?’_ and opened it to the bookmarked page.  She located where she had last left off and began reading aloud…

 

_“…What do you think about that, Rick? Do you think it could be true?”_

_“Everything is true,” he said. “Everything anybody has ever thought.” He snapped on the car motor._

_“Will you be alright?”_

_“I’ll be alright,” he said, and thought, And I’m going to die.  Both of those are true, too._

 

Lying in the bed next to her, John listened to the story…and tried not to dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know.  
> I'm sorry. I cried, too.  
> No matter how much John loves the family he's making with Ralia, he still misses the one he had stolen from him.  
> His previous anchor chain.

**Author's Note:**

> We know it's short. Be patient, we will get you there eventually.


End file.
